Classic Margherita Pizza
Master the art of the perfect Margherita pizza, featuring a blistered, golden crust, rich tomato sauce, creamy buffalo mozzarella, and fresh aromatic basil.
The Margherita pizza is the gold standard of Italian simplicity, a vibrant celebration of the colors of the Italian flag. Legend holds that it was created in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, utilizing the best of fresh, authentic ingredients. Achieving that iconic bubbly, charred crust at home is entirely possible with a high-heat technique and quality buffalo mozzarella.
Ingredients
- 1 unit pizza dough
- 2 tbsp cornmeal
- 3 tbsp tomato pizza sauce
- 50 g diced mozzarella cheese
- 80 g fresh buffalo mozzarella
- 4-5 leaves fresh basil
Instructions
- 1Prepare the dough with cornmeal
Take your proofed pizza dough and coat it thoroughly with yellow cornmeal in a container. The cornmeal provides a nice texture and prevents the dough from sticking to the surface while you stretch it.
Tip: Using cornmeal adds a slight crunch to the bottom of the crust, which is essential for that authentic pizzeria style. - 2Stretch the dough
Place the dough on a lightly floured countertop. Using your hands, press the dough outward from the center to form a circle, then gently stretch it to your desired size.
Tip: Be gentle while stretching to keep the air bubbles in the crust, which will help it rise properly in the oven. - 3Stretch the dough
Lift the dough and gently stretch it in the air using your hands to expand it to your desired circular size. Work carefully to maintain an even thickness throughout the base.
Tip: Let gravity help you stretch the dough, rotating it gently along the edges to keep the shape perfectly round without tearing it. - 4Add tomato sauce
Place a generous portion of rich red tomato pizza sauce onto the center of the stretched dough. Spread it evenly outward in a circular motion, leaving a small border clean around the edges for the crust.
Tip: Dont add too much sauce in the center, or the base of the pizza may become soggy during baking. - 5Sprinkle diced cheese
Sprinkle a generous layer of diced mozzarella cheese evenly over the tomato sauce base. This acts as the first layer of cheese to provide a solid melt and bind the rest of the toppings together.
Tip: Ensure the cheese is distributed evenly so every slice has a consistent texture and flavor profile. - 6Place buffalo mozzarella
Tear or slice thick pieces of fresh buffalo mozzarella and place them evenly across the pizza. This fresh cheese will melt beautifully in the hot oven, creating creamy pockets of flavor on top of the diced cheese.
Tip: Pat the buffalo mozzarella dry with a paper towel before adding it to prevent excess moisture from pooling on your pizza. - 7Add basil leaves
After spreading your tomato sauce and adding your cheeses, finish the assembly by topping the pizza with fresh green basil leaves. This adds a beautiful pop of color and a fresh aroma to your Margherita.
Tip: Add the basil just before sliding the pizza into the oven to prevent the leaves from burning too quickly. - 8Bake the pizza
Carefully place your assembled pizza onto a metal perforated peel. Slide it into your preheated wood-fired oven. The high heat will quickly cook the crust and melt the cheese to perfection.
Tip: A perforated peel allows excess flour to fall off, preventing burnt tastes on the bottom of your crust. - 9Final bake
Allow the pizza to bake directly on the hot stone floor of the oven. Once the bottom is browned and crispy, you can lift it closer to the flames if needed for a quick finish. It only takes about two minutes for a delicious pizza to be ready.
Tip: Keep an eye on the crust, as wood-fired ovens can cook pizzas very rapidly.
